Soutane romaine noire

Overall, I am pleased with the quality of the finished habit. The material is excellent, the craftsmanship is solid, and the overall design is very faithful to the Oratorian habit I provided them as a reference. Since this is not a garment they normally produce, I appreciate the effort they put into replicating it.

There were a few issues, however. One important structural button that helps support the garment while wearing it was omitted. It is a small detail, but an important functional one that should be included in future habits.

Sizing is always difficult with custom garments, especially something as unique as an Oratorian habit. My finished habit is slightly shorter than I would have preferred, and the fascia is a bit tighter than ideal. Thankfully, both are still usable, but this experience reminded me that measurements for garments like these often require some trial and error. Determining the correct length is especially challenging because shoulder curvature, posture, and the clothing worn underneath all affect how the habit ultimately hangs. I have also found that different tailors measure the "length" of a garment somewhat differently, making it difficult to know exactly what measurement to provide.

The biggest consideration for future customers is cost. Because I had to ship my existing habit internationally for them to make a pattern, pay for the custom garment, pay return shipping for the new habit, and still need to pay to have my original habit shipped back, my total investment ended up being roughly three times the cost of one of their standard custom cassocks. Given that they do not normally make Oratorian habits, the additional expense is understandable. However, my final cost is now comparable to what I would pay a local tailor. However, with a local tailor I get the added advantage of being able to return easily for fittings and adjustments. At that point, much of the financial benefit of using an international tailor is diminished.

The collars are stiff and the material I foresee will irritate the skin around the neck. I have requested that future collars be a softer, more comfortable material. They look fine though (as in the listing photos--sorry I don't have a photo of mine).

One other critique would be how the habit opens at the bottom a bit more than I would like when walking or standing. The habit can be designed with extra material to fall straight with little to no excessive opening at the bottom. I have sent this review in to the group and I am hoping they would be able to adjust accordingly for a potential second purchase.

Despite these concerns, I am genuinely happy with the overall result. The habit looks very good, and I appreciate the willingness to undertake such a specialized project. If the pattern they created from my original habit now allows them to produce future habits at a substantially lower price, I would gladly become a repeat customer. If not, then I still consider this to have been a worthwhile attempt at finding a long-term tailor for my Oratorian habits.